Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Bilingual Edition
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I
Complete Notebooks · French with an independent English translation.
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French Page · Branch 750 of 3781
YEAR 1797 · Entry 750
French
p. 1499L’esprit dans nos ouvrages s’évapore en passant à travers les siècles... Il n’y a que ce qu’ils ont de vrai suc et de solidement substantiel qui puisse subsister longtemps. On peut dire aussi que le sel dans nos ouvrages les conserve, et que l’esprit même (en plaisant aux contemporains) fait que les premières générations les recommandent aux suivantes avec plus de soins et que celles-ci s’accoutument successivement à les transmettre comme à les recevoir. Le mérite passé de nos livres leur fait jusqu’à la fin un bien [beau] présent. — Mais il faut que le sel soit pur, soit blanc et distribué avec beaucoup d’intelligence.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: YEAR 1797
p. 1500The wit in our works evaporates as it passes through the centuries... Only their true sap and solid substance can last long. One may also say that the salt in our works preserves them, and that wit itself (by pleasing contemporaries) makes the first generations recommend them to the next with greater care, and these in succession grow accustomed to passing them on as well as receiving them. Our books’ past merit gives them, to the very end, a good [beautiful] present.—But the salt must be pure, must be white, and distributed with great intelligence.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · YEAR 1797 · Entry 750
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
Joubert’s notebooks return to the work of thinking and writing, the demands of friendship, and questions of faith, beauty and conduct. This edition pairs the French with a new English translation, preserving the order of the chosen source and the unfinished character of its fragments. Dates and source references allow readers to follow a thought through time or return to its printed context.
Historical Text and Translation
The French text follows André Beaunier’s 1938 edition of Les Carnets de Joseph Joubert, published by Gallimard from Joubert’s autograph manuscripts. Volume I presents the entries on printed pages 32–475. French and English are aligned paragraph by paragraph, retaining the source order, printed dates and page references so readers can return to the facsimile.
About Diotimos Editions
Diotimos Editions prepared this new English translation directly from the French, preserving Joubert’s distinctions, recurring images, ambiguities and unfinished thoughts. Translator’s notes clarify wording, references and uncertain readings: Essential keeps notes that help explain a passage, while All includes technical detail. Annotations from the 1938 source edition remain distinct from the new translator’s notes.
Rights
The linked facsimile records identify the French source as public domain in the United States. The new English translation and editorial notes are © 2026 Diotimos, with source annotations and new editorial contributions credited separately. This edition pairs the complete French notebooks with an independent English translation, preserving the distinction between Joubert’s text and its accompanying notes.